The present disclosure relates to a sheet carrying apparatus and an image forming apparatus having the same.
In recent years, image forming apparatuses have been increasingly requested to save power. Because of this, an image forming apparatus is proposed, which incorporates a power saving mode that restricts power supply more than a usual mode.
In an image forming apparatus that incorporates the power saving mode, usually when the image forming apparatus is not used and a predetermined threshold period elapses, the usual mode is shifted to the power saving mode. Upon shifting to the power saving mode, power supply to each portion (job executing portion) of the image forming apparatus executing a job is shut down, whereby the power consumption is reduced.
In the structure in which it is determined based on the not-used period of the image forming apparatus whether to shift to the power saving mode or not, if a threshold period which is a determination criterion for determining whether to shift to the power saving mode or not is set long, the timing to shift from the usual mode to the power saving mode delays (it takes a long time to shift to the power saving mode). In other words, in this case, after the job ends, the power supply to the job executing portion is continued for a long time; thereafter, the shift to the power saving mode is performed. Accordingly, the power saving effect declines.
On the other hand, if the threshold period which is the determination criterion for determining whether to shift to the power saving mode or not is set short, the disadvantage that the timing to shift from the usual mode to the power saving mode delays is solved. However, if a user goes away temporarily from the image forming apparatus during a time of operating the image forming apparatus (e.g., when the user is changing a set value by using an operating panel), the usual mode is likely to be shifted to the power saving mode, which is inconvenient to the user.
In the meantime, in the conventional image forming apparatus, the operating panel is equipped with, for example, a hard key for receiving a shift instruction for shifting to the power saving mode. Because of this, even if an elapsing period after the image forming apparatus is stopped does not reach the threshold period, it is possible to quickly shift to the power saving mode by performing an operation for shifting to the power saving mode. However, for the user, it is cumbersome and inconvenient to additionally perform the operation for shifting to the power saving mode.